She said, I think Ive almost read the whole book of Matthew. Your goals, finances, health and outlook seem bright. When you cannot see a resolution? Imagine if God called you to do something crazy. It may even bring you to the end of your strength. Instead, we're meant to rest in God's understanding. Download the full lesson and all of its resources here. That He loves you and has good in store for you. If you could make your own lunch menu for a week, what would you eat each day? Main Point: We can trust God's plans by first trusting Him and obeying His directions. It encourages me. We want to seem like we have it all together and we fear that everyone will see that were just a failure. Paul was a follower of Jesus and a leader in the early church. They petitioned a godly leader, Samuel, to pick a king for them. Most of the time, we dont really have a sin problem, we have a trust problem. David understood that he needed God in his life and the children need God too. If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. When studying Daniel's life an inescapable fact for all believers is that Godly character doesn't happen by accident. Thats similar to how you might feel when you come to church and learn about how to live like Jesus from the Bible. He cares for your hurts. The first pair to successfully navigate the obstacle course wins a snazzy prize. It could have simply been trying to understand a story your friend was sharing. OPENING GAME: 3 BLIND MICE SUPPLIES 3 blindfolds Chairs Masking or gaff tape HOW TO PLAY THE GAME Set up 3 "paths" that each "mouse" will be walking down. ONE YEAR YOUTH CURRICULUM, VOLUME 2 Save 78% on one year of teaching curriculum and Bible studies for youth ministry. We, like Saul, will find ourselves hiding behind the luggage, trying to avoid hard situations that may show how much we dont measure up. Pride may say, Its all up to my ability to persuade and I think Im smart enough andpersuasive enough to convince them of truth., Pride may also say, Its all up to my ability to persuade and I dont think Im smart enough, persuasive enough, or confident enough to convince them., Pride says, Its my reputation on the line and I dont want to look like a fool.. Check out this, Youth Group Lesson on Distractions (How to Not Get Distracted from Focusing on God). Stop gossiping and spreading rumors and speak words of kindness that encourage others. Remember who He has always been. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. Things would not end well for Saul, as he eventually took a nosedive and another king, David, would take his place. I want all of these things to happen, but if there is any other way to make it happen any other way that doesnt mean I suffer the pain and shame of the cross lets do it that other way. He gave them His Holy Spirit. But once again: Following Jesus is more about trust than understanding. in all your ways submit to Him, and He will direct your paths.". What would our homes, neighborhoods, schools, church and community look like if those of us in this room started taking these two little verses in Proverbs seriously? God deserves all of his praise and he cannot do anything good without God. Sometimes, I get confused trying to figure out whatstudents are saying when they tell me about their day! Great story, right? Jesus guaranteed His followers that they would face hard times (John 16:33), but He promised that He would always be with them (Matthew 28:20). Sometimes lifes a bummer, one camper said. Be sure to have them put extras on plates next to leaders around the room that will be collected at the end as leftovers. He said, Its their choice if they accept it or not, but you want to at least tell others about Christ I want them to fill the empty spot in their heart.. How many of you have felt confused about something, at some point, since school started? Privacy But those good times often get overshadowed by other more complicated things going on. But, it does take some work to obey them. Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Make sure you watch the clock and save 5 minutes at the end for the closing, even if that means you skip some questions and dont discuss them all. Maybewhen you moved up to middle school you werent sure how the older students would treat you. Spend time exploring aspects of His trustworthiness in verses of Scripture. But once they put the blindfold on, were spun around, and started walking, it was a little more confusing. It starts off by saying to trust God with all your heart., This idea expands in do not depend on your own understanding.. Connecting: Talking about my fears and worries. How comforting it is to know that the God of the universe is also paying attention to you. He wants you to learn to trust Him as you get to know Him. You need only to look. (There is the opportunity for this lesson to set your group up for a service project. Check out the. Here are seven practical ways to trust God in your everyday life: Scripture, or the Bible, is Gods Word. The leading of the Spirit can ease struggles by guiding you to acts of obedience. A friend or family member betrays you. YOUTH GROUP LESSON ON TRUST DOWNLOAD THE PDF OF THIS LESSON Bible: Proverbs 3:5-6 Bottom Line: Following God is more about trust than understanding. . This is a tough question! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ministry-To-Children.com helps you tell kids about Jesus by providing age-appropriate Bible study material and Sunday School curriculum all 100% free online. However, ask someone to put their ideas into actions, to do something about what they are so passionate about online, and I hear things like, No one will give me a chance. or Do you know what it would cost for me to do something that would even begin to scratch the surface of this giant problem? or Im just a junior higher. 6-8 wooden dowels, cut 27-28inches long; a flat area like a gym floor, or a flat outdoor area. The conversation will likely reveal how rich of a topic humility is. Youre able to confess to God when your feelings and beliefs are not lining up with His Truth. He has a boys sack lunch. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Lets look at one more verse: This verse is talking about everyone who is a Christian even those of you in junior high! Seek his will in all you do,and he will show you which path to take.. Scripture, or the Bible, is God's Word. Daniel teaches me not to fear other people and the way theyll treat you because you believe in God. When you trust, you go to God and His word when life is hard. Just make sure you have lots of them. Youre in a new calendar year, but right now,youre still in the middle of your school year. One has minimal cost involved. Even if you fail at a task, youre still secure God still loves you and you still have value because youre in Jesus. Our way of living is supposed to look like Jesus. Imagine students who are usually lonely or bullied who now find people caring for them and loving them. Say, David understands that the Lord is good. How do you feed everyone?. Heres why, along with some analysis digging into nine commonly presented contradictions. God will give David the strength that he needs to overcome his enemies, the hope to overcome his fears, and peace when he is troubled. I is the subject of every sentence. Materials needed. Shop our Sunday School Curriculum and Bible Lessons for Kids. This is a great text that can be brought to life with a little acting. We should always try to keep ourselves in Gods will, just like we are trying to keep these balloons off the floor. 2023 Ministry-To-Children.com | Bible Lessons for Kids, Activities for Sunday School, Free Resources for Children's Ministry Leaders. Biblical Evidence: Begin the lesson by reading Psalm 25:1-3. The complexity of the path will depend on the difficulty you want. Remember when he spoke up? Israel, the people of God, were living in a wild west scenario without a real government. Say, Lord, please watch over these children and help them understand that they need you. Say:On Go!, each of you willput on your blindfold and try to be the first one to make your way through your path to the end. Need a game that takes some time or is more challenging? 145 views, 2 likes, 6 loves, 16 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Crossroads Baptist Church: Crossroads Baptist Church Live 02/05/2023 Thats humility, and thats why we trust God more than we trust ourselves. Faith is just choosing to believe what God says in spite of what you see or feel around you. Finally, pray with the children. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Props: 12 baskets; Sack lunch, food for everyone in your room. What is meant by the statement, Even if God calls you in over your head, the humble focus on what God has said? Agree/disagree? If you were taking a pop quiz in English, and your teacher asked you to define humility, what would you write? But He didn't leave them. When junior high students are able to fully trust God, theyre able to more easily put those ideas into action. He asked Jesus to heal him if you can. Jesus asked the man if he did not believe that Jesus could heal, and this was his reply. God holds all of creation together, and He knows each one of us intimately. Like trying to pass a test, be accepted by a group of people, or make the team. Permissions Use this lesson to teach children that they can trust God with their fears. Junior High Ministry Lesson - Trusting God's Plan DOWNLOAD THE PDF OF THIS LESSON Bible: 1 Samuel 10:1-9, 20-24 Bottom Line: Humbly focus on what God has said, even if God calls you in over your head. It's anything that people serve, love, desire, trust, fear, and worship that isn't God. Jesus takes the sack lunch, prays, and then gets the food out to the people. And we have to trust that God cares about us more than we can possibly imagine. Children's Sermon on Luke 21:5-19 PDF Download Learn about Cru's global leadership team. Gods unchanging character can give us a firm foundation when things feel unsteady and uncertain. The Holy Spirit lives in anyone who trusts in Jesus. This object lesson is one kids can do own their own and it's a fun way. If they have chosen a guide, the person can talk to them but can not touch them. Imagine the boy watching! Even though memorization can be tricky, young people become equipped with godly wisdom and familiar with Gods character when they learn Scripture. Today, were going to find some advice on that adventure from a little book in the Old Testament called Proverbs.. Or thinks theyre really smart or a great musician, when they arent. Read the suggested challenge in the small group part of the lesson to have something ready for your leaders.). You live in a day and age where people feel very free and empowered to put words, images and videos out into the world via social media. Pick one person from each team who will be the mice. Knowing that God is for you will strengthen your trust in Him during times of hardship and the unknown. In the face of those difficulties, God shares His will for you and how you should respond to them. Whats the most creative you or someone in your family has been in making something new out of a previous meals leftovers? Maybe you have a friend or boyfriend or girlfriend that is not good for you, and you are considering whether or not you should distance yourself from them just a bit to make sure youre able to stay focused on God. Today we are going to play a game called You Decide! I've edited it to fit my group's needs and my style (even though it's not that much different from McKee). Over 5,000 people show up for lunch. Lets move into our small groups and help you figure out what your first step is this week. Saul may not have been over-confident in his ability but he is self-absorbed, which means his mind is fixed on thoughts of himself. Why did it make the most sense for the blindfolded partner to listen to what the non-blindfolded partner said? You can serve God by speaking words of life. Knowing that God is for you will strengthen your trust in Him during times of hardship and the unknown. This is why we are instructed not to depend on our own understanding. ], Get with a group of two or three, and answer the question, When have you had to do something you didnt really want to do, and once it was over, you realized it was a good idea after all?. Props: 12 baskets and lots of Small paper fish. If at any time any member loses contact with the pole/stick, the team must start over, so youll need a volunteer watching each group. Have you ever felt like Philip? Difficult times may feel like they last forever, but they are temporary. And now the part were waiting for: He will show you which path to take.. But living the life God has called us to means unlearning that lesson. Eating as much as you want is a dangerous thing to promise to a junior high student. The goal is to guide the students as they talk, to have a discussion. He wants God to show him the way to live so that he will be closer to God and less likely to sin. Life is unpredictable and difficult at times, and that difficulty may persist for longer than you had hoped. The truth is, pretty much everything you guys said in our discussion on humility is correct. How do you do that? He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying,My Father! Even in tragic circumstances, there will be light and grace. I want to set them free, and give them hope, and make it possible for them to reconnect with us. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of the covenant. Psalm 25:10. Saul, the king of their dreams, would eventually fail spectacularly, because of his pride. (give instructions for service project), (When that time is up, close your group in prayer or even better, ask one of the students to close in prayer. There are two options below. But have the rest hidden so that Jesus can easily keep handing out fish to the disciples to give to the crowd. Trusting in God is so fundamentally important to the Christian walk, and yet in Sunday School we are happy just throwing around the term for half an hour, hoping that the kids will "catch on". You can ask Him to help you believe what He says is true. One has minimal cost involved. . He always sees them and is always working for their good. Faithfully continue to seek the Lord, but wait on His timing. Actors: Jesus, Philip, Andrew, 10 other disciples, young boy, and crowd (which is everyone else in your room). What kind of things would we do at your party? God cares about them both. Attach the top of the heart to a piece of white paper. Just like the boy in the story, you might not feel like you have much to offer Jesus or that what you have to offer will make much of a difference. (beyond just making us hungry). God is present amid the bad times as well as the good. No matter how hard we try, well always think that everything depends on us and that we have to measure up. He knows that God will take care of him no matter what and that he cannot have eternal life without God. Set up 3 paths that each mouse will be walking down. Another young girl said, Daniel had a lot of faith. "I was really scared to tell people about Christ," she said. He shared this with a fellow believer as encouragement. Lets talk about this in our small groups. If you struggle with why God allows difficulty, read the article Why Does God Allow Suffering?. He is always faithful. Lets read these verses and see what they have to do with following Jesus and that strange game we just played. You can agree with Him that all He says is true. We believe that children and parents benefit from a strong Christian education program in the church. But have the rest hidden so that Jesus can easily keep handing out foodto the disciples to give to the crowd. Feature Story. 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